The Wigan Warriors will face their rivals, St Helens, in the Women’s Super League Grand Final on October 5, 2023, at the Brick Community Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ starting at 17:00 (BST). This highly anticipated clash marks a repeat of the Women’s Challenge Cup final held in June, where Wigan emerged victorious with a dominating 42-6 win at Wembley Stadium.
Wigan earned the right to host the Grand Final by securing the League Leaders’ Shield, affirming their status as the highest-ranked finalist. This will be a critical match for the Warriors as they aim to complete a historic treble after their impressive performance this season. They recently defeated the Leeds Rhinos with a commanding 38-0 scoreline, setting a new attendance record for a women’s Super League match with 2,108 fans in attendance.
Wigan’s head coach, Denis Betts, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s defensive resilience during their last match. Speaking to Sky Sports, he noted, “I love a zero. The tries were really good but I thought defensively we had to work hard because we tried to overplay a couple of times. That’s in our nature at the moment; we want to play with the ball.”
The Warriors’ full-back, Grace Banks, celebrated her 20th birthday on the day of their victory. She remarked, “It’s a privilege and makes my birthday even more special. It was a forward-dominated game; it was all through the middle. Special credit to Ruby Hunter on the wing. Coming in the last two games, she’s been incredible.” Banks also praised teammate Eva Hunter, stating, “There’s no doubt she was going to score tonight.”
In the other semi-final, St Helens triumphed over the reigning champions, York Valkyrie, with a close 12-8 victory at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Player-of-the-match Katie Mottershead highlighted the team effort required for the win, saying, “It was a massive team effort, especially digging deep there in the end. We dug in deep and I kept going when I could.”
As both teams prepare for this significant match, the anticipation is palpable among fans and players alike. The Grand Final promises to be a thrilling encounter, showcasing the best of women’s rugby league talent.
